Former A-B Execs Open Agency

Two former Anheuser-Busch marketing executives have opened a Hispanic target agency in Austin, Texas, and are counting Miller Brewing among their initial clients. Manny Flores and Alejandro Ruelas, both of whom spent most of the last two decades working for the St. Louis brewer, are the managing partners of LatinWorks Marketing, an independent agency that plans to pursue national clients from offices in Austin and Los Angeles. Flores was vice president of marketing development at A-B, while Ruelas headed ethnic marketing efforts. The brewer folded its Hispanic marketing into its general marketing unit under vice president of brand development Bob Lachky late last summer, after both Flores and Ruelas resigned. A-B had launched a number of Hispanic-targeted efforts, but remains somewhat stymied in stopping the growth of imports such as Corona and Tecate. LatinWorks is currently working with Miller Brewing to provide strategic planning for Miller Lite, working with Lite’s Hispanic agency, Uno Communicaciones, a unit of Square One in Dallas. Square One is the general market shop for Miller’s Icehouse and Red Dog brands. LatinWorks is also handling a general market assignment for Celis Brewery of Austin, which is owned by Miller. Flores said a Southwest headquarters was a natural for pursuing Hispanic business, and Austin’s “growing technological area is one which we can capitalize on.” Other key players at the agency are vice president of strategic planning and communications Steve Moya and vice president of creative services Sergio Alcocer. Moya is the founder of Moya, Selbert Communications Consulting, Los Angeles, while Alcocer brings a packaged-goods background from the Young & Rubicam and Leo Burnett international networks. Alcocer also served as vice president and creative director at KJS (now Garcia/LKS), San Antonio, Texas, and Castor Advertising, New York.